


Scars

by Loko (bookleaf)



Category: The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part II (Video Game)
Genre: Wholesome hour, emotions? what's that, hope u like, i don't remember how to tag things, soft shit, this was for my fwiends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:41:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25579750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookleaf/pseuds/Loko
Summary: In a night plagued by the terrors of the past, Abby and Lev find comfort and safety in each other's presence.
Relationships: Abby & Lev (The Last of Us)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 55





	Scars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [my friends :)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=my+friends+%3A%29).



Abby pooled all of her breath out in one slow exhale. One might believe that she’s keeping herself under control, save for the tremor of her fingers as she hefted the weighty wrench tightly, her knuckles pale. The familiar chhhkk-chk of a clicker reached her ears, and her teeth gritted, jaw pulsing in pain. Keep quiet. The clicker’s shambling footsteps eventually shuffled close enough, and she swung the wrench as hard as she could towards its head, the blow landing with a sickening crunch as--

Joel’s body flinched with each smash. She raised the golf club again to strike him, the thuds echoing through the silent room as everyone watched silently. “Abby,” Mel started, and she snarled,” Shut up.” The groans coming from Joel made her grip tighten. “This… is for everything you’ve done to us.” The club swung. Thwack.

Thwack. 

Th- _Bang._

“Jesse?” His blood dotted the carpet. Her fingertip, while numb from the biting cold of the rain, still felt the jolt of the pistol as she pulled the trigger. Her ears were ringing, but she yelled “Stand up!”, her voice hoarse as the throbbing in her head pounded to the rhythm of drums. “Hands in the air or I’ll shoot this one too!”

She looked down into-

Lev was barely conscious. He murmured, “Abby,” and her stomach churned like a coil, the jagged pains making her vision tunnel. She had to get him out of here. They need to leave. “I got you,” she whispered and gently slid her arms underneath his frail form, cradling him as she stood back up. Her toes caught on the grains of sand, stinging her. But nothing else mattered here. Only one way left to go. One foot in front of the other.

“I got you.” 

Like a mantra. A grey fog enshrouded her vision, and a familiar voice calls out of that void.

“Abby.”

Her eyes fluttered open, taking in the dimly lit room, the moon peeking in through an open window on the other side. Lev laid in the sleeping bag next to hers, his back to her. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in, and sat up. 

Abby was all too familiar with the ways a nightmare could hold her in its grip. The blaring of the hospital sirens. That all-too-familiar set of double doors, always ajar. Always holding her gaze, fearful of what lay dormant on the other side. Her father. Yara. Lev. Everyone who was killed under her watch, who she let down.

Their voices always say her name. 

She headed over to the window and poked her head out, breathing in the silence of the night, save for distant shrieks of runners. Leaning on the frame, she absentmindedly traced her scars, their thin marks lining almost the entire top half of her body. Her hands shook at the memory of that fight. How she could have died. And how Ellie let her live. Something that continues to plague her.

“What’re you thinking about?” The sudden appearance of Lev next to her almost made her shit herself as she practically jolted into the air. “Jesus Christ, Lev! At least make some noise!” 

He looked a little guilty as he shifted from foot to foot. “S-Sorry. Just noticed you weren’t in bed.” He picked at the elbow of the worn sleeve on his jacket. She felt a little pang of guilt and ruffled Lev’s head as he grumbled in protest. “No problem, kiddo. You know, you’d make a good scout.” He brushed her hand off, to her dismay, as he said, ”You really think so?”

“Of course! Not everyone can sneak up on me! You should be proud.” She grinned as she nudged him playfully. He chuckled and yawned, pulling a dusty chair away from a table nearby and plopping himself down and leaning his head on his hand. “What’s keeping you up tonight?”

Oh. Right. “Just nightmares,” she rubbed at the back of her neck and sighed. 

“What’s a nightmare?”

“... Wait, really? I mean.. it’s just… how do I explain this-”

“I’m just fucking with you.” She glowered at him as he tried not to smile. “You say that word an awful lot for someone who just learned it not too long ago.”

“What can I say? I learned from the best after all.” 

She chuckled quietly. “Can’t deny that.” They remained there for a bit, letting the quiet fill in the margin between their small talk, the unsaid things. The reason they’re both awake tonight instead of still sleeping until the dawn came. 

“Lev.” His eyes drifted back to her. “Mm?”

“It gets easier, you know.” Easier to love the scars on her skin. Easier to drift back to sleep after a bad dream. Easier to remember the ones she couldn’t save without that scratching pain in her chest. Is it really so simple? Maybe she’s saying this for herself.

“I know,” Lev murmured, and she spotted the bags under his eyes. She wondered how long he laid there tonight, staring at the ceiling. All of the other nights that she didn’t know about. And then she blurted it out.

“Can I hug you?” 

He looked up at her, a little surprised. “Um... yeah.” She took care to be gentle as she wrapped her arms around him. His stiff posture eventually relaxed and his hands clutched onto her back like a lifeline. His frame began to quiver with tiny sobs that racked at her bones, a cold but painful burning tugging at her soul. Her eyes stung with tears as she brushed her hand across the back of his head. “Shhh… it’s okay. We’ll get through it, yeah? Together.” They remained this way for a while; two lonely wanderers clinging to the other's presence - as if they would disappear into the sky like the rest.

It might take a long time for these scars to heal, but she finally, truly believes that they will. 

Abby knew that she was far from a hero. The atrocities that she committed were irredeemable. That’s the price to be paid from living in a world that has grown cruel and indifferent to the suffering of others. 

She pulled away from him before crouching down and using her thumb to wipe the tears off his eyes. “Hey now. Why don’t we head on back to sleep? We’ve got a little while away until we get to the next settlement.”

Lev sniffled and grinned. “Fireflies…I hope we’ll be able to find them soon!” He stood up and shuffled back towards the makeshift camp. She lingered near the window for a little while longer, looking up at the stars. Her left hand hovered over the faded cut on her cheek, before falling back to her side. She turned and headed back after him.

“Me too kiddo. Now no flailing around. You almost took me out just the other day.”

“Did not! Besides, you can’t talk…”

But Lev gives her hope to believe.

Yeah. It’ll be alright.

**Author's Note:**

> hi, thank u for reading  
> it's been a while since i've written and i hope it was ok
> 
> <3


End file.
